The European Union added four Russian individuals to its sanctions list for serious human rights violations, including the arbitrary arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the crackdown on the subsequent protests, the European Council announced in a March 2 press release. The sanctioned individuals are Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation; Igor Krasnov, the Prosecutor-General; Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard; and Alexander Kalashnikov, head of the Federal Prison Service. The restrictive measures consist of a travel ban and asset freeze, and people and entities in the EU are forbidden from making funds available to the listed individuals. These sanctions mark the first use of the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, established on Dec. 7, 2020, that permits the EU to use sanctions for human-rights related purposes including genocide, slavery, arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and other violations.
The United Nations Security Council on Feb. 26 issued three new sanctions for terrorism activity in Somalia. The UNSC designated Abukar Ali Adan, deputy leader of the terrorist group al-Shabaab; Maalim Ayman, founder and leader of Jaysh Ayman, a unit of al-Shabaab; and Mahad Karate, who “played a key role” in Amniyat, the intelligence wing of al-Shabaab.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Mansur Al-Sa’adi and Ahmad ’Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi, who are responsible for organizing attacks by Houthi forces against Yemeni civilians, bordering nations and commercial ships, OFAC said March 2. OFAC said Al-Sa’adi is chief of staff for the Houthi Naval Forces and has helped smuggle Iranian weapons into Yemen. Al-Hamzi is the commander of Yemen’s Houthi-aligned Yemeni Air Force and Air Defense Forces and has also “acquired” Iranian weapons to use in Yemen.
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The U.S. sanctioned a host of Russian officials and agencies, will add 14 entities to the Entity List and will increase restrictions on exports of military-related goods to Russia in response to the poisoning and imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The increased export controls will also remove certain license exceptions for shipments to Russia and will impose stricter license review policies for certain sensitive goods, the State Department said March 2.
Apple last week introduced a new ethics and compliance webpage, featuring a detailed outline of its trade compliance policies surrounding export controls and sanctions. A table of all Apple products provides their respective Export Control Classification Numbers and which destinations are blocked from receiving Apple products. The company said all its products qualify as mass market products and are subject to the Export Administration Regulations but are not controlled as dual-use goods by the Wassenaar Arrangement. Apple said some of its goods may be eligible for the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s Iranian General License No. D1 and Bureau of Industry and Security license exceptions related to Cuba. OFAC fined Apple about $465,000 in November 2019 after the company hosted, sold and helped transfer software applications and content belonging to a sanctioned company (see 1911250064).
In written questions to U.S. trade representative nominee Katherine Tai, she was pressed to argue for U.S. agricultural export interests around the world, and asked how China could be moved to meet more of its promises to buy American exports, agricultural and otherwise.
The United Nations Security Council Feb. 25 threatened to impose sanctions on the signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement if they don't stop recruiting fighters and begin peace talks with the Sudanese government. The UNSC said it will “consider listing those individuals or entities” that agreed to the peace deal, which includes various Sudanese rebel groups.
The United Nations Security Council renewed its sanctions regime targeting people and entities threatening peace in Yemen, it said in a Feb. 25 news release. The regime was extended for one year and will renew asset freezes and visa restrictions while allowing for exemptions for humanitarian aid. The UNSC also extended the mandate for its Panel of Experts on Yemen for 13 months.
Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Feb. 28 it doesn’t yet want to meet with European countries and the U.S. about the Iran nuclear deal, and called on the U.S. to lift sanctions before any meeting will take place. Iran said it “is not a good time for holding an unofficial meeting on the accord” because “there has been no change in the United States’ stances and behavior.” Iran also said the Biden administration has “not only failed to abandon [former President Donald] Trump’s failed policy of maximum pressure, but has also failed to declare its commitment” to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Once the U.S. lifts its sanctions, Iran said, it will return to the deal. The U.S. previously said it doesn’t plan to lift sanctions on Iran until the two sides meet (see 2102220049).